In an exclusive interview with Keo in the latest issue of SA Rugby magazine, Smit explains why he didn’t walk away from Test rugby after the World Cup.

‘If I wanted out because I feared the next opponent or the next challenger to my position, then I would be a coward,’ he says. ‘You have to fight for what you believe in and you have to be prepared to take on the challenge of the next guy or the next team. I want to be part of a Bok team that wins in 2008 and not be that guy in the stands commenting on what I did as captain in 2007.’

Smit also reveals what was said in his meeting with Peter de Villiers earlier this year, the demands of playing for a French club, how he misses the Super 14, his unflattering views of the Six Nations, and why the Boks should always beat Wales at home.

Also in the new issue of SA Rugby:

– Heyneke Meyer reveals his disappointment at missing out on the Bok job, how he would have dealt with the new laws, what makes Victor Matfield the best player in the world, his relationship with the Bulls, the importance of structures and why he may never coach again

– Why Gary Gold and Dick Muir will have more power than any previous Bok assistant coaches